Setting tool for pattern and guide strips



at, M, 1924. 99

- 8. H. CALKINS SETTING TOOL FOR PATTERN AND GUIDE STRIPS Filed Jan. 36, 1.922

T Z2 I J l' l I 15 7 m atented Unit. It, $.11

SEWAJRD HOMER CALKINS, OF NEW YORK, N, Y., ASSIGNOR 'IO TRAITEL'M COMPANY, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW Y0 t l i SETTING TOOL FOR PATTERN AND GUIDE STRIPS. i

Application filed January 30, 1922. Serial No. 582,749.

- To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, SEWARD HOMER GALE- INS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, Long Island City, borough of Queens, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have mvent'ed a certain new and useful Improvement in Setting Tools for Pattern and Guide Strips, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to an improved setting tool for pattern and guide strips of the character shown in Patent No. 1,371,857

7 granted to me March 15, 1921", and also to the method of setting the guide strip in position. I

The present invention has for its primary object to provide a simply constructed tool whereby the pattern and guide strips may be accurately set in the bed of plastic material with ease and facility.

Theinvention further comprehendsa new and improved method of setting the -strips in position and preparing the surface of the screed coat or underbed for the reception of the plastic surface layer of the floor or wall. My new method results in a more effective fixation of the strip in the underbed priorto the application of the surface material and also produces a better union of the surface layer with the screed coat or underbed adjacent to the pattern and guide strips.

In carrying out my improved method I provide a pattern and guide strip having certain improved features of construction whereby greater rigidity and resistance to bending or distorting strains in the setting of the strip is secured.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved-setting tool, and likewise in the novel features of the pattern and guide strip, together with the method of setting the stri and preparing the underbed, all as will e hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the ac-- section of the guide strip associated there with.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section taken on the showing two-of the guide strips arranged at right angles to each other.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated a form of the setting tool which has given highly satisfactory results in practice. Nevertheless the drawing is to be considered as largely illustrative since the tool might be made in various forms and of many different sizes and shapes. In the present disclosure I have shown the tool as consisting of a body bar 5 of the desired length and slightly tapering in width from its central portion to its opposite ends. This body bar is preferably, though not necessarily, provided upon one side thereof with a transversely projecting flange 6, extending for substantlally the entire length of the bar. In spaced relation to each end of the body 'bar an angular off-set 7 is formed in the being disposed in the same plane with the lower faces 8 of the ofi-sets 7 in the flange 6 and preferably of equal length and width.

The ends of the flanges 11 are also connected to the body bar 5 by webs 13.

A vertically disposed groove or kerf 14 is formed'in the lower portion of the bar 5 and opens upon the face 9 thereof, said kerf extending the entire len th of said bar. It will be noted that the ower edge face 9 of the bar 5 extends in a single continuous planefor the entire length of the bar. The upper edge of the kerf 14 also extends walls or. ceilings of parallel to the plane of the face 9 an throughout the length ofthe bar in a lalne aso inparallel relation with the plane of the bottom faces 8 and 12 of the flanges 7 and 11.

he importance of' this arrangement'of the several surfaces or faces of thetool in paror in the bed of concrete and which arear-, ranged or set-in position in accordance with a predesigned pattern. This pattern is worked out by the laying of different col ored sections of concrete, or other plastic material between the pattern and guide.

strips, the upper edges of the anchored strips constituting a height or thickness controlling guide for the surface material,-

while the strips prevent. the oommingling of the differently colored plastic areas and produce clear lines of demarkation between the adjacent colored sectionsof the flooring. Such a pattern and guide strip I have illustrated in connection with the improved set-' ting tool in the accompanying drawing. This strip, generally designated by the numeral 15, is preferably though not necessarily, produced from thin sheet brass and at intervals in the length of the strip, pairs of anchoring wings or flanges 16 are struck from the body of the strip, the two flanges in each pair rojecting horizontally from the op osite sides of the strip and in planes at right angles to the body of said strip. The provision of these flanges16 results in the formationof o enings 17 in the body of' the strip, and pre erabl the flanges 16 are of such width that the ody portions 18 of the metal strip remain at the outer. sides of the openings 17 which constitute-connecting bridges between the parts of the strip body at the opposite ends of said openings. The

point of juncture at the inner ends of the flanges 1'6 with the body of the strip is 10- cated substantially midway between the op posite longitudinal edges of the strip. By' the provision of the bridge portions 18 at t the outer sides of the o enings 17, it will be understood that each ongitudinal edge of the strip is continudus and uninterrupted throughout the length of said .strip.

In the use of my invention in laying floors, walls, ceilings or the like, a suitable foundation 19 ofany kind is first provided upon which the lower bed or screed coat 20 of plastic material, 'such as cement, sand,

and in some cases, gravel, is placed. The

materials of this screed coat or underbed are mixed in the proper relative proportions to provide a comparatively firm and compact bed. Upon the upper surface of this bed, afterit has been properly leveled, the design for the terrazzo surfacing material is laid-out. This may be done either by snapping lines in red or black chalk, or by first preparin a stencil of the design and then transferring the design by means of lamp black or other suitable material upon the surface of the bed. One of the strips 15 is inserted at one of its edges in the kerf 14 of the, setting tool 5 until the lower edge face 9 of the tool body is engaged upon the wings or flanges 16. The other edge of the strip 1s then dis osed upon the guide line marked on the 'sur ace of the bed 20 and by applying pressure upon the top edge of the too said strip is driven firmly down into the underbed until the surfaces 8 and'12 of the flanges "'7 and 11 come into contact with the body surface of said bed. Obviously, since the lower edge of the body bar 5 extends below the faces 8 and 12 of the flanges, the wings or flanges 16 of the strip will be forced down into the surface of the underbed and below the plane of said surface. .At the same time the lower edge of the body bar acts as a tamper at each side of the guide strip 15 so as to closely compact the material of the underbed. Preferably, provision is made for the lower edge of the bod bar to sink into the surface of the underbe for a distance of approximately 1/16 of an inch. Thus there is roduced in the surface of said bed at eac side of the strip a continuous longitudinally, extending depression or channel as shown at 21 in Figure 4 of the drawing.

After the guide strip has been properly set in the underbed as just explained, the tool is removed. Owing to the tamping of the underbed at each side of the strip, the latter is securely held in a fixed position during the hardening of the underbed. The portion of. the guide strip 15 projecting above the surface of the underbed determines the height or thickness of the terrazzo surfacing material. Preferably, the underbed 20 is made of such thickness as to allow the lower edge of the strip 15 to rest on the foundation 19, thoughthis is not essential. The cementitious or other plastic material of the'underbed is homogeneously united through the openin' s 17 of the guide strip, such union being urthered by the tamping action of the lower edge of. the setting tool upon theunderbed material when the guide strip is set in place, as above explained. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that by the rovision of the brid es or connecting portions 18 at the lower sides of the openings 17, the guide strip is firmly anchored in the underbed so that it cannot work upwardly therethrough.

Between the spaced parallel pattern and guide strips extending in one direction, other strips are set into the underbed 20 extending at an angle with respect to the first strips 1n conformity with the pattern. In order-to permit of the close arrangement of the ends of the latter strips against the sides of the first strips, the bar 5 of each setting tool on one side is provided with spaced reces'ses or notches 22 which are of such depth that the strip extendin through the kerf 14 of the bar is exposed. in Fig. 6 of the drawing, the strips 15 may be. arranged at right angles to the strips 15 and with their ends in close abutting contact against one side of the latter strips without interferingwith the proper use of the setting tools. It will, of course, be understood that the guide strips are of slightly greater length than the tool bar so that they project for a short distance beyond the ends of said bar.

After the pattern and guide strips have all been properly set in the screed coat or underbed, the terrazzo surfacing material 23 is then placed u on the screed coat between the pattern strips, the difierently colored materials being arranged as previously determined, in conformity with the desired desi 'n. Care must be exercised by the workman in laying the terrazzo surfacing material that he does not permit such material to extend over the upper edges of the strips 15. lit is preferable, that he should make this surface layer of slightly less thickness than the height of the upwardly projecting portion of the strip, since the edges of the strips which protrude above the level of the surfacing material will readily wear down, in the finishing of the top surface in the usual manner either by a grindin machine or manually. Since all of the dlerentlycolored terrazzo sections may thus be laid at the same time, the same degree of aging or seasoning of the materials is permitted, so that the wearing down of the surface in the finishing operation will be uniform over the entire area of a wall or floor surface.

Owing to'the fact that in the setting of the strips 15 by means of my improved tool, the anchoring flanges 16 are sunk intoor embedded in the surface of the screed coat 20 and the longitudinal channels or gutters 21 are formed in said surface at each side of the guide strips, when the surfacing mate- 21, and thereby result in a firmer an more secure anchorage of the guide stri in place than would be possible if the anges 16 merely rested upon the upper surface of the underbed. Also, the interlocking effect which is obtained by the provision of the Thus, as shown gutters or channels 21 between the underbed and the terrazzo surfacing material, produces a floor or wall structure of greater stability, reducing to a minimum theliability of fracture of the separate sections of the surface layer adjacent to the metal pattern strips. From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, the construction, manner of operation and several advantages of my invention will be clearly understood. By means of the improved setting tool, the pattern and guide strips may be very easily and quickly, as well as accurately, set in position in the screed coat or underbed of the Wall or floor. It will be seenv that by means of such a tool, a uniform pressure is exerted upon all portions of the metal guide strip throughout its length so that when the setting tool is removed, the upper edge of the guide strip will extendin a plane parallel with the surface of said underbed; Thus the strip provides a very serviceable level and depth guide for the top surface or layer and enables the latter to be quickly laid and properly finished with a minimum of manual labor. The strips 15 are quite flexible so that-they may be readily arranged in curved form forworking out different designs. Therefore, though I have illustrated in the drawing a setting tool having a straight continuous body bar, it will be understood that I also contemplate providing these tools in various other forms and shapes.

Furthermore, in so far as the detall, features of this toolare concerned, they are susceptible of certain modifications; and I,-

thereforefreserve the privilege of constructing said tool in numerous alternative forms and of resorting to all such legitimate changes in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the several parts as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

][ claim:

1. For use in connection with a pattern and guide strip, a setting tool comprising a body bar having a flange projecting transversely from one side thereof and adjacent to one longitudinal edge of the bar, said bar being provided with a longitudinally extending erf opening upon the said edge thereof and adapted to receive a portion of the metallic pattern and guide strip, and press it into the plastic material, said flange being adapted to engage the surface of plastic material and act as a stop, the ed e of the bar at each side of said kerf provi ing means for tamping the plastic material on opposite sides of said stri 2. For use in connection with a pattern and guide strip for floors of plastic material, a setting tool having a vertical and horizontal member, comprising a body bar having a sired depth, and said body bar beingl prolongitudinally extending kerf to receive and press against one edge portion of said strip and provided with flanges to engage the surface of a body of plastic material on 'opposite'sides of said strip and limit the penetration of the opposite edge of said strip'into the material while permitting the edge of said bar, under pressure, to sink the horizontal portion of the strin into said surface below the level of the underside of said guide strip for floors of plastic material, a

setting tool comprising a body bar having flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof, and having an edge of the bar extending below said flanges, said edge of the bar being provided with a kerf to receive one edge portion of said strip and said flanges adapted for contact with the surface of'a bed of plastic- I material to limit the penetration of the I other edge portion-of the strip into the ma- ;terial, said edge of the body bar below said flanges cons ituting means for-tamping the plastic material and forming a longitudinal channel in the surface of said'material at each side of said strip. I

4. A setting tool for use with pattern and guide strips for floors of plastic material, comprising a body bar, having a longitudinally extending kerf in one edge thereof to receive one edge portion of the strip, said bar providing means for applyinga uniform pressure upon said strip throu hout its length to force the other edge portion of the stri into a bed of plastic material to a desired depth, and stop flanges projecting from the opposite sides of said bar to engage the surface of the bed of plastic material and limit the penetration of the guide strip.

vided with spaced recesses in one side ereof exposing the edge portion of the guide strip engaged in said kerf to permit of close contact of the end of a second guide stri with one side of the stri arranged in said erf.

6. In the art 0 laying floors of plastic material, having pattern and guide stri s set in the underbed of plastic material an projecting above the surface thereof, that step which consists in forming a compressed longitudinal channel in the surface of the underbed at each side of the pattern and guide strips to receive and interlock with the plastic material of a surface layer.

7. A floor of plastic material consisting of anfunderbed of plastic material, pattern and guide strips having one edge-portion set. into the surface of the underbed for a predetermined depth and provided with anchoring flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof and sunk into the underbed below the plane" of its upper surface, and a surface layer of plastic material filling the depressions in the surface of the underbed occupied by said flanges, the other edge portion of the strip extending above the surface of the underbed, to provide means for determining the height or thickness of said surface layer.

8. A floor of plastic material consisting of an underbed of plastic material, pattern and guide strips having one edge portion set into the surface of the underbed for a predetermined depth and provided with anchoring flanges projecting from opposite sides thereof and sunk into the underbed below the plane of its upper surface, the surface of said underbed being rovided with channels extending longitudinally along each side of the strip between said flanges, and a surface layer of plastic material filling the depressions in the surface of the underbed occupied by said flan es and said channels, the other edge ortlon of the stri extendin above the surace of the under ed provi ing means for determining the height or thickness of said surface layer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, and I have signed my name hereunder.

SEWARD HOMER CALKIN S. 

